The Bill Dickey Scholarship Association mourns the loss of George Dean, an exemplary leader, dedicated community servant and longtime friend and supporter of the BDSA.
George embodied excellence throughout his tenure with the Bill Dickey Scholarship Association. His gentle spirit, tireless efforts and exceptional business acumen helped propel the organization forward, while his unwavering commitment to young people reflected the very heart of the BDSA mission.
George understood the power of opportunity. He believed in providing minority youth with premier opportunities to develop their golf game while also helping them achieve their educational goals through financial assistance. He embraced the BDSA motto, “Building Hope… One Stroke at a Time,” not simply as a phrase, but as a commitment to helping young people build brighter futures.
His support of BDSA went far beyond his own generosity. George understood that meaningful and lasting impact requires partnership. Through his leadership, relationships and business acumen, he helped develop partnerships with key donors who shared the BDSA’s commitment to educating and empowering minority youth.
That spirit of partnership was a defining part of George’s broader career. He spent more than three decades leading the Greater Phoenix Urban League, after previously serving as the leader of Urban League affiliates in Sacramento and Omaha. Under his leadership, the Greater Phoenix Urban League expanded its work in economic empowerment, workforce development, educational opportunity, housing access and civil rights advocacy. His leadership was characterized by fiscal accountability, responsiveness to the community and a steadfast commitment to expanding opportunity.
George was widely respected as a thoughtful strategist and principled leader who understood that lasting change requires persistence, partnership and a belief in people’s potential. His work opened doors for countless individuals and families and strengthened the institutions he served.
Those same qualities made George such an important part of the Bill Dickey Scholarship Association.
At BDSA, we will remember him not only for what he contributed, but for how he contributed—with humility, generosity, wisdom and a genuine desire to see young people succeed. He understood that supporting a young golfer could mean supporting a student’s education, a family’s hopes and an individual’s future.
George Dean leaves behind a legacy that reaches well beyond the organizations he served. His impact can be seen in the young people who were given opportunities, the partnerships he helped create, the communities he strengthened and the many lives he touched through his decades of service.
We will always be grateful for George’s leadership, his generosity and his unwavering allegiance to the Bill Dickey Scholarship Association. His gentle spirit and extraordinary contributions will be deeply missed, but his legacy will continue through the opportunities he helped create for generations to come.
George Dean will be notably missed.
Celebration of Life – Monday, October 12, 2026, 10AM
First Institutional Baptist Church, 1141 E Jefferson St, Phoenix, AZ 85034
Building Hope… One Stroke at a Time.